


The Strange Board

by Magnonette



Series: Whumptober 2020 [15]
Category: Moominvalley (Cartoon 2019), Mumintroll | Moomins Series - Tove Jansson, 楽しいムーミン一家 | Moomin (Anime 1990)
Genre: Board Games, Demonic Possession, Mystery, Mystic, Possession, Spirits, Whump, Whumptober, Whumptober 2020, board - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-15
Updated: 2020-10-15
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:54:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27029938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Magnonette/pseuds/Magnonette
Summary: Moomin and Snufkin were enjoying a peaceful moment of silent while Snufkin fished by the bridge, when Sniff came running up to them, a strange board in his paw.
Series: Whumptober 2020 [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1948144
Kudos: 9





	The Strange Board

**Author's Note:**

> Into The Unknown - Possession - Magical Healing - Science Gone Wrong

It was a peaceful say in the Valley. Everything was calm, the sun warm and the wind blowing softly through the trees. 

Snufkin was fishing by the stream, in Moomin’s pleasant company, sharing a comforting silence as they watched the stream, when Sniff came running to them, breaking the peaceful moment.

“Moomin! Look! I found a treasure!” Sniff called out.

Snufkin sighed, noticing the fish in the stream swimming away from their noisy friend. He knew that he couldn’t fish with him around anymore. He put away his fishing gears, turning to look at their friend who was excitedly running to them, waving a strange board around.

“Hey, Sniff.” Moomin greeted, a little annoyed that they couldn’t enjoy the silence anymore. “What’s that thing?” 

“It’s a treasure.” Sniff said proudly. “I found it in the forest, it was half buried in the ground. It has to be a treasure map or something.” He continued, stars shining in his eyes.

“What treasure?” Moomin asked, his curiosity picking up.

“I don’t know. I don’t understand it. It must be a code or something.” Sniff huffed.

“Maybe we could take it to Pappa, he might know how to read it.” Moomin noted, getting up.

“Yes! Let’s go ask him.” Sniff hurried away excitedly.

Moomin looked back at Snufkin who just shrugged in response, getting up as well. With that they followed Sniff to the house. Sniff called out as he came in, asking for MoominPappa. This one came out of his study to see what was going and looked at the board for them.

“It’s not a treasure map.” He explained to a disappointed Sniff. “It’s an old board that is supposed to be able to contact spirits.” He said with a note of excitement in his voice. “I remember the first time I used one. I was around your age and-”

“Spirits? How does it work?” Little My asked, startling everyone.

“Well.” MoominPappa coughed in his paw. “It’s simple. You use a glass that you place upside down on the board. All the participants have to put a finger on the bottom and focus on it. Then you have to ask it question. Usually you have to ask ‘is anyone there?’ first. If the glass moves to yes then you continue with any question you want. The spirit is supposed to answer them by either using the letters to spell words or putting the glass on yes or no. If it goes to goodbye, then it means they don’t want to talk to you and they ended the session. When you’re done with the question it’s important to say goodbye before letting go of the glass.” 

“But how do you know if someone isn’t pushing on the glass?” Moomin asked.

“I’ve heard about it before.” Snufkin thought aloud. “A lot of people say it’s just for someone to joke around and try to scare the others.” He shrugged.

“Do you really think we can contact spirits with it?” Sniff asked nervously.

“I’m not sure.” Snufkin shrugged again, shaking his head. “I’ve never used one before, nor have I seen one to be honest.”

“I don’t see how that would even work.” Little My huffed. “But there is only one way to find out.” She smiled mischievously. 

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Snufkin warned. “Even if it doesn’t work, we don’t know anything about it.”

“What if it works?” Sniff asked, looking more and more scared as the conversation continued.

“Come on! You cowards!” Little My mocked. “It’s just a board! What can it do to you?” 

“We could give it a try.” Moomin agreed.

“Well, whatever you do with it, be careful.” MoominPappa warned. “Nothing much happened to us when we used it back in the day, but you don’t know what you might be messing with.”

“Come on! Let’s go use it!” Little My stole the board, running out. “We won’t be back before night!” She called as she made her way down the path.

“I guess we’re doing it.” Moomin hummed.

They were about to go out when MoominMamma called them, giving them a basket of food. She’d heard everything and had quickly made them a meal for the night. They thanked her before finally going after the little mymble.

They waited for the night to fall before finally setting the board up in the forest. Little My had taken a glass before running off, unnoticed from all of them, and set it in the center of the board.

“Come on! Let’s do this!” She encouraged as she put a finger on the glass, looking at them insistently.

“Do we have to do it?” Sniff asked nervously.

“Oh, come one! Don’t be a scaredy-cat!” Little My scolded. “It’s just a board. What could happen? At worst the glass with move, that’s all.” 

Snufkin didn’t seem convinced by that, frowning like he knew something they didn’t, but he sighed and put his own finger on it. Moomin did the same, not thinking much about what could happen. Little My had to threaten Sniff to bite his tail until it fell off for him to go along with it.

With that they started.

“Is anybody here?” Moomin asked, a little nervous.

They waited a moment, holding their breath, but nothing happened.

“It doesn’t seem to work.” Moomin noted, a little relieved. 

But then, as he said that, the glass moved to yes. They all looked up at each other, startled.

“Y- You m- m- moved it!” Sniff accused.

“No, we didn’t.” Moomin shook his head, feeling the fear rise up in him.

“It’s working, huh.” Little My said thoughtfully. “Let’s ask more question then.” She said confidently.

“Are you sure it’s a good idea?” Moomin asked nervously.

“You all are such scaredy-cats.” She huffed. “Fine. I’ll do it. Who are you?” 

The glass started to move across the board. It went quickly between two letters repeatedly.

“Zozo?” Moomin repeated the word nervously. “Is that it?”

The glass stopped before going to yes.

“I think we should stop.” Snufkin warned, fear clear no matter how much he tried to hide it.

“Come on! We only started.” Little My complained. “You’re just all cowards. Hey! Spirit! Will they ever grow up to be big brave boys?”

“Hey!” Moomin and Sniff cried, offended.

The board spelled something again. 

“K. I. L. L. Kill?” Moomin read, shivering in fear at the word. “Kill what?” 

“How would killing make them grow big and brave?” Little My huffed, disappointed. “Come on Spirit! I asked you a question! You’re supposed to answer it.” She provoked.

“Hey! Little My. I really think it’s time to stop. Don’t provoke it.” Snufkin warned seriously.

As Little My was about to mock him, Sniff suddenly started to giggle darkly. They all turned to look at him in surprise. His laugh didn’t sound like him, it was much deeper and evil than he could ever have been.

“Sniff?” Moomin asked reluctantly. “Ar- Are you alright?”

“Your friend is mine now.” Sniff replied, his voice deep and dark.

“Is anyone good here?” Snufkin suddenly asked, ignoring Sniff to return to the board.

“No one can save you.” Sniff laughed maniacally. “You fools. You shouldn’t have played with what you don’t know. You’re going to pay for it.

“Please?” Snufkin insisted, while the others were focused on Sniff. “Please, we need your help.”

“Don’t even try. It’s-”

As Sniff was talking the glass moved again to yes, cutting him in the middle of his sentence.

“Please, help us release Sniff.” Snufkin asked seriously.

The glassed returned to the center of the board before going back to yes. Then, it started to spell some intelligible words on the board as Sniff started to yell at it to stop, that he couldn’t be stopped.

Finally, after a long moment of yelling, the voice died down and Sniff came back to himself, confused as to why everyone was staring at him.

“Thank you.” Snufkin told the board are the others continued to stare at their friend. “Thank you so much for your help. Goodbye.” With that he moved the glass over to goodbye, and they all let go of it, still staring at Sniff in dismay.

“What the hell was that?” Little My finally asked. “The hell!” 

“Language, Little My.” Snufkin mumbled, huffing when she stuck her tongue out at him. “Sniff was possessed, I think.” 

“Possessed???” Sniff repeated, only growing more confused.

Snufkin nodded and went on to explain what he knew. He’d heard stories about the board and about this Zozo demon. He’d heard it could possess people and talk through them. From what he’d been told it could be very, very, dangerous. He’d asked if there was any good spirit to help them get rid of the demon and to close the séance. Thankfully, it had worked but it could have been much worse if it hadn’t.

Sniff, even after all the explanation and everyone’s agreement that it had indeed happened, continued to not believe them, calling them mean and believing that they had just made up the story to scare him.

After that, they all decided to bury the board somewhere where nobody would find it and to never try it ever again. It was an experience they weren’t ready to start over again, no matter what Little My might pretend if she was asked about it.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading. I hope you liked it.
> 
> I was original going more toward Snufkin being the one possessed but I stopped myself because I can't keep hurting him all the time. Then I wondered who would be the most likely to get possessed and Sniff seemed like the best choice. They do say that the more you're weak and scared the more you can get "possessed" or "hurt" by spirit/demons. (I'm no one to say if those things are real btw but those things ARE interesting whether or not they exist)


End file.
